On Bread Bags

[Ben]

I thought this was a good read, putting the whole Joni Ernst "bread bag" comment into perspective.

I certainly remember having just a pair of "Sunday shoes" and a pair of tennis shoes as a little kid in the 60's. Also, every Christmas my dad talks about how their Christmas present as kids would be an orange. I grew up middle class here, and my parents, though poor compared to Americans of the time, were fairly middle class in the old country, having a house and 20 or so acres to make a living from.

Even our EBT people are currently living a life of luxury compared to the middle class of just 50 years ago.

http://www.bloombergview.com/articles/2015-01-29/joni-ernst-s-bread-bags-and-economic-progress?utm_campaign=trueAnthem:+Trending+Content&utm_content=dGg7uC&utm_medium=trueAnthem&utm_source=twitter#!dGg7uC

[Pb]

When my father was a small child, not only did they not have electricity or running water, they didn't even have an outhouse.  They went up behind the rocks on the mountain.  Fortunately, when he was in his early teens, they were able to build a modern house and things improved a lot.

[Ben]

When my father was a small child, not only did they not have electricity or running water, they didn't even have an outhouse.  They went up behind the rocks on the mountain.  Fortunately, when he was in his early teens, they were able to build a modern house and things improved a lot.

Heh, my parents always argued about who had the better deal when growing up. My mom's family had an outhouse. My dad's family had basically an "indoor outhouse" - a primitive version of those composting toilets that are so popular in the tiny home and off-grid cultures now. My mom always said that they may have had to walk out in the snow to use the outhouse, but at least they didn't poop where they slept. :)

[Balog]

I like Megan McArdle a lot, but that's rather missing the point. If your political strategy is "Say something that estranges voters, then criticize voters for not getting how great your statement was" then you're probably not going to enjoy much electoral success. See Romney, Mitt and his %47 line.

[Scout26]

I remember wearing bread bags inside our shoes/boots to help keep our feet dry in the winter.  I didn't think it was that odd as everyone in our neighborhood did.   

[wmenorr67]

I wore bread bags over my shoes back in the day.

[charby]

Joni Ernst is a rising star, someone who got where is by hard work and her own personal drive. This pisses the left off, so they are going to try their best to discredit her.

[makattak]

I like Megan McArdle a lot, but that's rather missing the point. If your political strategy is "Say something that estranges voters, then criticize voters for not getting how great your statement was" then you're probably not going to enjoy much electoral success. See Romney, Mitt and his %47 line.

I don't think Jodi Ernst estranged the voters she was targeting. I think she estranged the east coast liberal media who would have found something else to mock her about. (See: Jindal, Bobby. If you can't criticize the speech, criticize the person.)

[charby]

Joni Ernst is only 44 years old but she grow up in one of the more poorer rural areas of Iowa.

[Balog]

I don't think Jodi Ernst estranged the voters she was targeting. I think she estranged the east coast liberal media who would have found something else to mock her about. (See: Jindal, Bobby. If you can't criticize the speech, criticize the person.)

If she's appealing to the voting segment that groks her reference, then she's making a political mistake.

[Balog]

Joni Ernst is a rising star, someone who got where is by hard work and her own personal drive. This pisses the left off, so they are going to try their best to discredit her.

Didn't you have some harsh thing to say about her pig castration campaign ad, or am I misremembering?

[charby]

Didn't you have some harsh thing to say about her pig castration campaign ad, or am I misremembering?

I don't remember, let me check.

http://www.armedpolitesociety.com/index.php?topic=44437.msg909278#msg909278

I called her the pig castrator (because of the commercials), and I wasn't her biggest fan at the time because I was pulling for a different candidate in the primary. At the time of the primary, the local polls was showing the democrat candidate beating every GOP by at least 10%, she being one to lose even more than that.

[Scout26]

Do you think her opponent's "They are even lawyers!!!" comment to the Trial Lawyers at their fundraiser hurt him more  Or did Joni Ernst run a good campaign that Iowa voters connected with ?

[charby]

Do you think her opponent's "They are even lawyers!!!" comment to the Trial Lawyers at their fundraiser hurt him more  Or did Joni Ernst run a good campaign that Iowa voters connected with ?

She connected with a lot of voters. Braley was a pompous ahole who pretty much felt he was going to be crowned victor.

Probably dodged a future bullet with Joni winning.

[charby]

Holy cow(pig) now they are polling if she'd make a presidential candidate!!!

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/politics/iowa-poll/2015/02/05/joni-ernst-takes-president/22896413/

[roo_ster]

Holy cow(pig) now they are polling if she'd make a presidential candidate!!!

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/politics/iowa-poll/2015/02/05/joni-ernst-takes-president/22896413/

Know nothing about her but I have met many regular folks in Iowa with a lot of sense.  But, 2-year senator to POTUS is a stretch, especially after BHO.

[charby]

Know nothing about her but I have met many regular folks in Iowa with a lot of sense.  But, 2-year senator to POTUS is a stretch, especially after BHO.

She is a fast rising star, and it sells news right now. I'm pretty certain she isn't going to run for POTUS in 2016.